Tip Osterthaler, president and CEO, SES Government Solutions

[Via Satellite 07-22-2014] The U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) has awarded SES Government Solutions a firm-fixed-priced Pathfinder contract for commercial satellite communications. The contract, worth more than $8 million, covers Ku-band communications for U.S. Africa Command. Pathfinder is a procurement method the Department of Defense is trialing for multi-year agreements, which stand in contrast to shorter Operations and Maintenance (O&M) contracts.

“Because of these efforts, critical commercial communication satellite capability in an area of high demand is secured for the remaining life of the satellite with the cost benefits offered by this alternative to one-year contracting,” said Tip Osterthaler, president and CEO of SES GS.